Took You Long Enough
by Tedd.E.Bare
Summary: James Potter is hiding in a broom closet. He hides, she waits. LExJP


**Took You Long Enough**

_A Jily story._

_Kudos to those who pick out the few LBD references I chucked in here somewhere ;)_

* * *

Lily Evans has had enough.

She is so furious that her current complexion rivals her fiery hair.

Who does James Potter think he is to have rescheduled everyone's patrol times, _just_ so that she is rostered on with him to patrol the second floor corridors on Friday night.

Hell hath no fury like Lily Evans whose study date plans have just been blown out the window.

_Honestly_, she's tutoring a third year in charms so the poor kid doesn't fail that class.

She knows he's going to blame it on Quidditch practises, that the upcoming Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw match means that half the prefects need to have their patrols worked around their practise times.

Eugh. Quidditch.

-0-

James Potter most certainly is not hiding. Nope, he is merely trialling out some avoidance tactics that he came up with five minutes ago.

Which involves being sequestered in a broom closet… with spiders falling about his shoulders.

He hates spiders, but the alternative is dealing with the furious redhead who he knows is currently less than ten feet away from his hiding place. He doesn't even need the map to tell him that her usually gorgeous face (which although is no less pretty when it's got the complexion to rival a tomato) is not far away; and for once it's not one he wants to reacquaint himself with at the current moment. Unless he can somehow convince her to shut up and kiss him instead.

Which isn't going to happen. They agreed.

This makes him think of last week's post-prefect meeting, when, after they'd finished their snogging session, they both promised that they weren't going to speak of it, ever again.

They may not have spoken about it, but that's all he's been thinking of for the past 7 days and 2 hours.

-0-

Lily Evans knows exactly where James Potter is hiding. His best mate ratted him out about ten minutes ago.

She's known about the map since the end of last year, so after promising that she would never tell the professors about it, she now get's access to the current whereabouts of people whenever she likes.

So rather than bust in on him in his closet (she shudders when the mental image of unsavoury actions he could be doing in there) she waits outside the door.

She's slowly calming down, but she will wait there until his stomach gives in and starts demanding food.

She knows that's not going to be very much longer, he missed dinner.

-0-

James' stomach is growling.

It's not the kind of gurgle one hears when they're eager for a snack, James' stomach missed dinner and it's raising hell.

Boys stomachs do not miss meals. Ever.

But he doesn't want to face the girl he knows is STILL outside that closet door. (damn you Padfoot)

It's a battle between pride and stomach.

He knows exactly who's going to win that war and he's not looking forward to it. Hence the reason he's still huddled in his bunker with the spiders and mops and buckets.

Pride currently intact.

His stomach is about to eat itself.

-0-

Lily can practically hear his stomach complaining. Hiding a grin, she thinks that if she didn't know where he was before, she certainly does now.

Utterly predictable, he is.

It's been fifteen minutes, and his ego won't let him face her for food.

She's gone from annoyed to amused now, and wonders just how long it'll take to break him.

No more than five minutes. That stomach is loud.

She's also getting impatient. She missed dessert for this.

He better make it up to her.

-0-

His stomach is starting to eat itself.

Damnit.

-0-

Her smile widens when she sees the doorknob start to turn.

Success.

-0-

James tries very hard to keep a dignified look on his face as he emerges. He's not entirely sure he succeeded, but Lily is no longer resembling a lobster, so he considers that a plus.

He looks down, tucking his chin into his neck and tries very hard to not look at her.

She's so much shorter than he is that he's looking at her anyways.

When did she get so close?

-0-

Lily couldn't help but laugh when she saw the expression on his face. Equal parts regret, hunger and trepidation.

And utterly adorable.

She's not going to lie to herself. She knows the kiss (that long series of kisses to be precise) they shared last week has been much on her mind. Unless James has undergone a complete and utter psychological change, she knows it's been on his mind too. A lot.

She also wants to do it again. Soon, preferably now, but definitely soon.

Food first.

-0-

James is slightly confused when she takes him by the hand and leads him away from the broom closet and in the general direction of the kitchen.

His confusion lessens when she tickles the painting, and disappears completely when she politely asks a house elf for a plate of dinner, and two servings of dessert.

He tucks in, practically inhaling the food and satiating his stomach. She hasn't stopped smirking at him and she's slowly eating her way through a giant ice-cream sundae.

He doesn't have the heart to tell her she's gotten a smudge of chocolate sauce on the tip of her nose.

-0-

Lily happens to know about the smear of chocolate that's gracing the tip of her nose.

She also knows his gaze keeps flicking to it, and she can see his brain trying to decide whether or not he's going to mention it or _lick it off later._

She's leaves it there, pretending she knows nothing about it.

By now James has finished his dinner and started on his dessert too. Her smirk turns into a full on grin when he manages to miss his mouth completely because he's too preoccupied with the chocolate on her nose.

She's starting to wish he'd hurry up and get it off already, it's starting to itch.

-0-

James is now fully aware that Lily is aware that she's got something on her face.

That little nose crinkle didn't go amiss.

He knows that they need to talk, but he's most definitely unable to do that whilst she has that chocolate on her face.

So he gets it off for her, just like he knows she secretly wanted him too.

-0-

Lily is utterly and thorough disgusted.

He licked her face (the git)!

Didn't even have the decency to warn her first.

She doesn't even get a chance to complain because he's too busy kissing her.

Not that she really minds, she's kissing him back.

-0-

James Potter has just decided that this is heaven.

A full stomach, kissing Lily Evans (who happens to currently taste of vanilla ice-cream and chocolate) and she's kissing him back.

Yes. Heaven.

He doesn't even mind that she'll get mad at him later over the patrol schedule. Her kisses are worth it.

Lily Evans hasn't had enough of this yet.

She's still mad at him for the patrol schedule, and that prank he and his friends pulled on Marlene last week, but she's not thinking about that right now.

She just… wants him to stop surfacing for air. (breathe through your nose, Potter. You can breathe through it, leaving your mouth free for… other activities.)

And maybe step just a little bit closer.

And definitely pull her closer, and wrap those annoyingly well-toned arms around her further.

-0-

James Potter is doing his best to comply with that.

_Fin._

_-0-_

_THERE! Another fic out of the way so I can continue with my assignments. That was bugging me all afternoon and wouldn't leave me alone. Like one of those annoying little flies that just won't BUGGER OFF._

_Please review (go ahead, flame me if you desire)  
_

_May your otp become canon and leave you with delicious feels,_

_Tedd. E. Bare  
_


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